اسماعيل

Core meaning

Proper noun. The text names him at Ibrahim's side: bound with him by a pact, he raises with him the foundations of the House, and Ibrahim gives thanks for having received him as a gift, with Ishaq, despite old age. It praises him as true to his promise, a messenger and an informant. The text does not say what kinship ties him to Ibrahim. The translation writes the name alone: "Isma'il".

Uses

1. إِسْمَٰعِيل (with Ibrahim) → "Isma'il" : the one who shares Ibrahim's work and the pact made with him.

   • «وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلُ» — "And when Ibrahim was elevating the foundations of the House, with Isma'il" (2:127)
   • «ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى ٱلْكِبَرِ إِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ» — "Praise be to God, who has bestowed on me, despite old age, Isma'il and Ishaq!" (14:39)

2. إِسْمَٰعِيل (among the informants) → "Isma'il" : named in the sequences of informants.

   • «وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِسْمَٰعِيلَ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صَادِقَ ٱلْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولًۭا نَّبِيًّۭا» — "And mention, in the Scripture, Isma'il: he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger, an informant" (19:54)
   • «وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ» — "and We revealed to Ibrahim, Isma'il, Ishaq, Yaacoub" (4:163)

Evidence from the text

Isma'il has no narrative of his own: he first appears at Ibrahim's side. The pact is made with both (2:125), together they raise the foundations of the House (2:127), and Ibrahim gives thanks for having received Isma'il and Ishaq as a gift despite old age (14:39). Then the name enters the sequences of informants (2:136, 3:84, 4:163, 6:86, 21:85, 38:48). Only 19:54-55 gives him qualities of his own: the promise kept, the Contact and pure liberality enjoined upon his people, the approval of his Guardian.

Distinctions

• وهب — the gift does not make him a son: the same verb says the gift of a brother, "And We bestowed on him, out of Our benevolence, his brother Harun, an informant" (19:53).

See also

ابراهيم (Ibrahim) · اسحاق (Ishaq) · وهب (to bestow)